Instep-arch supporter.



W. M, SCHOLL.

INSTEP ARCH SUPPORTER.

APPLICATION FILED AN.22. 1912.

Patenta& June 15, 1915.

wrLLIaM M. sono-LL, ononmaeog mmoxs.

INSTEP-ARCH SUPPORTEE.

's ecifiation of Letters Patent. Patnted June 15, 1915,

Application filed January 22, 1912. Serial No. 672,-601.

To aZZ whom z'tmay c oncern Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. SoHoLL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the County of Cook and State of lllinois haveinvented certain new and useful mprovementsin Instep-Arch Supporters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in instep supporters and has for its general objects to provide a Construction which is adequately reinforced for great strength at the points where it is most liable to fraeture, which is capable of ready adjustment as to height, and which has sutficient resiliency for ccmfort and ease in use.

In the drawings, wherein I have 'illustrated an embodi'nent of my invention', Figure 1 is a bottom plan view; Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on line s e of Fig. 1.

l'n the drawing, 5 indicates in general .a main metallic arch-plate adapted to underlie and generally to conform to the compound curvatures of the under side of the' human instep arch,'so as to afford adequate support to the foot arch, said plate 5 preferably having a wing-extension 6 to underlie the inside surface of the 'instep arch, said wing portion 6 preferably being laterally slit at a number of places, shown at 7, for resiliency and for ease of adjustment of the wing to the configura tion of the particular foot to be fitted. I

The arch plate' preferably extends 'from adjacent the ball of the foot approximately to the heel thereof and transversely to undcrlie the entire plantar surface ofthe foot, its transverse eXtent at both its front and rear ends being suflicient to give adequate hearing in the shoe. The arching of *the plate elezvates its central portion considerably, as indicated in .Figs. 2 and 3, both transversely and longitu'dinally, so that above the hearing plane of the 'ends of the plate is left ample space for the reinforcing structure to be described.

Along the under side of the plate near the transverse mid-portion thereof, I provide a longitudinally-extending metal truss 9, preferably formed integrally with the plate. To this end I preferably slit the plate longitudinally on two parallel linos to free a. lengthwise strip of'metal, and thereafter I depl'ess the metal strip as illustrated. The metal truss member 9 preferably merges at both `-parts of theshoe.

ends into the body of the plate, and between such ends-s forced down so that its mid portion lS below the `level of the lower surface of the plate at about the highestpointof the longitudinal arch of the plate. For strengthening the truss member a central portion of the metal truss-strip is preferably'cupped transversely, as shown `at 10 in Fig. 2, the upturned side edges 'of the cupped portions merging into the depressed central portion of the truss -adjacent the ends thereof.

Between the depressed central portion of 'the truss 9' and the under side of the plate 5,

I interpose a transverse supplemental plate V 11, providing a tongue portion 12 and an anchorage base 13. The tongue 12 passes over the truss'9, under the plane of the plate 5, to bridge transversely the truss-slot; and the base 13, elongated -preferablyto extend longitudinally beyond the area of the slits 7 and beyond the length of the truss 9, is riveted as at 14:-*141 to the main plate near the extremities of its longitudinalextent.

The structure thus far described in itself forms a strong and efiicient arch, but as a convenient aid in making the arch com'fortably resilient I preferably interpose a resilient cushion member, such as a 'block of rubberl, between the *transverse auxiliary plate 13 and thetruss member 9.

Along substanti'ally the entire extent of its outer edge, the main plate is preferably down-turned as at 17 for reinforcemen't and ;lea'ther *indicated at 18, the edges thereof being skived to interfit with the contiguous :It will be seen that the striking out of the central portion of the plate into a truss' I Vreini orcement for the plate to prevent its breakage in the area afi'ected by the slits and that the strength imparted by the truss formation gives itcapability of carrying heavy Weight Without more than the desii able yielding incident to the resiliencyof the rubber body preferably interposed between the truss and the plate.

'While I have herein described in some de tail a specific embodiment of my inventioii it Will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous changes in the details; thereof might be made WhOH? departing from the spirit of my invention and within the scope of the appended claim&

`What 'I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described the-combination of a main plate, a trust member integral With the main plate 'formed by depressing a portion thereof be lov\ the general level of the main plate, and an auxiliary plate extending between said main plte and the truss member, spanning the opening in the main plate and hearing against said main plate laterally beyond the edges of the opening and at one side longitudinally beyond the ends of the truss mem ber.-

2. In a device of the character described the combination of a leather cover piece, a

main plate shaped to conform to the under side ot' the human foot and having a laterei extensionprovided With suitable slits to Weaken said portion of the plate for increased resiliency, a truss below the central portion of the plate extending lengthwise thereof and at itscenter spaced apart'below the general level of the under side of the plate, and a transverse reinforcing plate se- "cured to the main plate having a' portion extendng between the truss and the body of the plate and a longitudinally extending portion, lateraliy terminating between the center line and slitted portion of the main plate and longitudinally extending beyond the slitted portion of the main plate.

4 3. In a device of the character described, a main plate having a slitted side extension,

(topics of this patent may he obteined for five cents each, by addr na-he Gommtsetener Z -plate a relatively harron' truee meniher adjacent the transverse center or s. eXtending, below the level of the r i face of the plate, lengthwise of i ie over substantially the same longitudi tance as the slits in the side extensi an auxiliary plate extending bet eu; main plate and the truss rnenrber ai ing its side edge terminating between truss and the slitted extension part of main plate.

4. in a device of the character described the conbination of a main plate having e slitted side extension and a truss membe extending lengthwise of the plate neni' middle thereof over substantially the s longitudinal distance as the slitted p( of the extension, and an auxiliary p cnred to the main plate at points loi dinally beyond the slitted portion c main plate.

5.' In a device of the character described, the combination of a main plate hai slitted side extension and a truss men r extending lengthwise near the middle r plate over substantially the same lon dinal distance as the slitted portion e extension, and an enxiliary plate seen* the main pinte at points longitudinel yond the slitted portion said auxiiiar; extending between the truss member and ti;

6. In a device of the 'character descr'" the combination of e main plate, e member formed integral therewith by' e ing down a portion of the main pla transverse plete underlying and secu' the main plate extending through 'the between the truss and body of the plate, and a resilient member interpos tween the truss member and the au plate,

In testimony Whereof I herennto i hand in the presence of two vvitness tWiLLAl /i %Clic In the presence of- W LINN AMN MARY Amiin. 

